Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an advertisement service device and method, and more particularly, to a device and method for enforcing advertisement viewing before providing services or contents to users.
Description of the Related Art
A device accesses a content providing server to receive a multimedia service such as a broadcast service or a Video On Demand (VOD) content transmission service. Thus, a user of the device is charged with a service fee corresponding to an access time to the content providing server or an amount of data serviced. A push method is used to unilaterally transmit advertisements provided together with a service. For situations in which the service is linked with an advertisement, a user of the device is forced to view the advertisement before receiving the service, thus enabling the user to enjoy the service at low cost.
A Digital Rights Management (DRM) technique is used to protect multimedia services or contents from illegal distribution. The DRM technique has been developed to provide secure distribution of fee-charging services or contents and prevent an illegal distribution thereof. The DRM technique protects the rights and benefits of a service provider or a content provider, prevents illegal copy, and supports creation, distribution and management of services or contents, such as payment and fee charge, on a batch basis.
As described above, the DRM technique, used for protection of services or contents, allows the play of services or contents only in devices of users that have purchased rights by payment. Accordingly, the DRM technique can give the right to play services or contents in subordination to a device, and can restrict the types of content and the number of times content is playable in the device. However, users desiring to enjoy high-priced services or contents may be interested in reducing the service fee. Thus, a method of providing advertisements together with a multimedia service can reduce the service fee, thereby expanding the consumption of multimedia services.
A method of forcing users to view advertisements provided together with a service is required. Advertisements in multimedia services can be implemented in various ways due to a continuous increase in the use of multimedia services. A scheme is required for efficiently supporting the right and restriction linked with the consumption of advertisements on multimedia services.
Video advertisements can be provided together with multimedia services, and audio advertisements, paper advertisements, and advertisements implemented in applications such as pictures and flashes can be introduced.